


The Warrior Princess

by Buttercup_Ali



Series: Avatar TV/Movies/Books AUs [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Mulan - All Media Types
Genre: Blood, F/F, Gore, Mulan AU, Mulan but gay, Smut, Violence, Zuko is Mushu, as it should have been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:07:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26358448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttercup_Ali/pseuds/Buttercup_Ali
Summary: After four years of hiding their dishonor, Azula tries to gain their family honor back. After she fails with the matchmaker and the Unified Nations call for one man of every family to fight in the war, Azula disguises herself as the soldier "Lee" and goes in place of her injured uncle. The problem is, if they find out she's a woman they will execute her and bring even more dishonor to the family so Zuko goes to guide her. Mulan AU.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: Avatar TV/Movies/Books AUs [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053704
Comments: 7
Kudos: 99





	The Warrior Princess

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning: blood, violence, death, misogyny

**The Warrior Princess**

Azula sighed as Iroh limped over to the fridge to grab the water pitcher. “Uncle,” she said softly. “Please, let me help you.”

“You help me with enough as it is Azula,” Iroh said. “I think I can handle the water. You should get ready for your meeting in town. The ladies are waiting for you to prepare you for the Matchmaker.”

Azula gave him a short nod and stood up. “I will do my best Uncle.”

Ever since Azula’s father was assassinated for trying to conquer the world and Zuko was executed as his heir, Iroh risked his life and became physically disabled to save Azula who was to suffer the same fate even though she was only 14 at the time. Their family name was tainted with dishonor and allowing the Matchmaker to find her a husband was the only way to bring honor to them once more.

Azula always hated the antiquated ways of the Fire Nation, especially now that the dissolution of her father’s reign led to the dissolution of the Earth Kingdom’s monarchy and eventually to the unification of all four nations into one. With all four nations running as one democracy, many of the antiquated ways of all four nations withered away but this was one of the traditions that remained.

“I know you’re nervous Azula,” Iroh said. “Honor is important to me but I would never force you to do this. I know you don’t like men…”

“Uncle, you lost your honor because of my family, because you were trying to save my life,” Azula said taking his hand as he sat down at the table. “This is the least I can do for you.”

Iroh frowned. “Okay Azula, if you’re sure. And remember…”

“No can know I’m the crown princess of the Fire Nation,” Azula said with a sigh. “Yes yes I remember.”

The disappearance of the Fire Nation tyrant’s daughter caused the application of an oppressive rule created by the antiquated misogynistic minds of the Northern Water Tribe when all four nations came together as one. Women were not allowed to use bending for any other reason but to do the ‘womanly’ jobs like cooking, cleaning, being a wife, and healing. The military was once equally divided up by bending and non-bending men and women but now only the men fought and the women that worked for the military were either healers, cooks, or maids.

Azula felt a great amount of guilt because of it. The new democracy was so fearful that the crown princess would use her exemplary firebending abilities to take the Fire Nation crown once more.

Azula had no intention of doing that. Back when she was 14, her father convinced her that conquering the other nations was the right thing to do and she was more than willing to be an agent for his madness, but ever since living with and caring for her disabled uncle, her views changed. Four years of living in the country side in a peaceful village really did a lot to humble Azula. She was happier in this poor village then all those years living in wealth and privilege in the palace. She didn’t want that anymore.

The moment she arrived to the town square she was greeted by Lady Ting who helped her uncle run his tea shop. “Aja! There you are my dear! We don’t have a lot of time, the Matchmaker does not like tardiness!”

Before Azula could say anything, Ting was dragging her into her small house where there was already a bath drawn and waiting for her. Ting’s mother, a very old lady had a small cage in her hand that had a small cricket in it. “I have a lucky cricket for you Aja this will be great!”

“Did you memorize the pledge?” Ting said yanking Azula’s clothes off and shoving her in the tub.

“Ah it’s freezing!”

“Well it was warm before but you were late,” Ting said sitting beside her mother where they proceeded to wash Azula everywhere. “Now recite the pledge.”

Azula felt sick to her stomach even before she started saying it, “a wife must be silent, disciplined, and obedient. My goal as a wife is to cook and clean and serve my husband.”

“Good now when you recite it to the Matchmaker you can’t look disgusted by it,” Ting’s mother said.

“Right,” Azula said.

The two women dressed Azula in a kimono, heavy white makeup, her hair in a neat top knot with her mother’s hairpin, and a lucky cricket cage attached to the back of her belt.

The matchmaker’s fancy house that was on the hill beside the village smelled heavily of roses and the matchmaker was waiting on her porch for her. She was a gargantuan woman with a nasty sneer on her face and no visible neck.

“Come in Aja,” the matchmaker said in a sharp voice.

Azula followed her into the house.

“What is your best meal that you can cook?” the matchmaker said sitting down on the cushions by the table.

Azula sat across from her and said, “my best meal is flaming barbecue ribs with potatoes.”

The matchmaker glared at her. “Did I say you could sit?”

Azula shot back up to her feet. “My apologizes matchmaker!”

“Flaming barbecue ribs,” matchmaker scoffed. “An easy meal for a man with a simple palette.”

Azula really wanted to hit this woman with a bolt of lightning.

“Sit,” the matchmaker snapped. “Serve me tea.”

Azula nodded and immediately grabbed the pot. It was when she served the tea that she noticed her “lucky” cricket lounging on the cup. She gasped and tried to grab it but the matchmaker snatched the cup and said, “recite the pledge!”

“Oh uh, excuse me,” Azula tried to reach for the cup. “If I could just get that back…”

“Is this what you plan to do to your future husband? Know your place child! If your husband wishes you to be kneeling by side naked you obey and stay SILENT!” the matchmaker snapped. “Now recite the pledge!”

Azula backed away nervously. “Uh, a wife must be silent, disciplined, and obedient. My goal as a wife is to cook and clean and serve my husband.”

The matchmaker sipped the tea then yelped when she realized the cricket was on there. She threw the tea into the air and kicked the table knocking everything over. Azula scrambled trying to catch everything as the matchmaker screeched, “are you trying to poison me!?”

“What? No!”

“You insolent child!” the matchmaker cried throwing her cushion at Azula’s head. “Get out!”

Azula just kept chanting in her head, ‘don’t burn her, don’t burn her,’ as the matchmaker snatched her by the wrist and tossed her out.

“An insidious child like you will never make any man happy and you will NEVER bring honor to your family!” the matchmaker yelled slamming the doors behind Azula the moment she finished her rant.

“Oh Aja, I’m so sorry,” Ting said.

Azula didn’t let the older woman grab her shoulder and just ran away at full speed. This was her only opportunity. This was the only chance she had to restore her uncle’s honor that he had lost for her and now she ruined that chance.  
  


When she arrived at their small home on the outskirts of town, Iroh knew immediately what had happened and the sad look that crossed his face made Azula burst into tears.

“I’m sorry Uncle,” Azula went down to her knees and bowed deeply. “I tried my best but I failed.”

“Hey, hey it’s okay Azula,” Iroh said moving down to the ground with much difficulty because of his cane. “You were willing to sacrifice your whole life for me and I couldn’t be more proud.”

“No Uncle I have failed you and now there’s no chance to ever regain your honor!”

“General Iroh!”

They both turned to the small squadron of armored military men and ostrich-horses that approached them.

Iroh stood back up refusing Azula’s help when his leg nearly gave out. “Chancellor Feng.”

Feng looked as unpleasant as he sounded. His face was curved into a sneer and he handed Iroh a rolled up scroll. “By decree of the President of the Unified Nations and his council we are summoning one man from each household to fight in the Unified Nations Army against the massive army amounted by the _Daofei_ invaders.”

Azula’s eyes widened as Iroh clenched his fist around the scroll.

“You were once great general who helped liberate Ba Sing Se from Firelord Ozai and it’s a shame you lost your honor trying to save your imperialist family,” Feng said looking at him darkly. “Perhaps your son can go in your place to…oh that’s right, he’s dead.”

Azula clenched her fists.

“Oh well,” Feng said with a smirk. “I guess _you’ll_ have to go then. See you at the camp.”

Feng kicked his ostrich-horse and led the squadron away from their house. The moment they were out of sight Azula snatched the scroll from him. “I was so close to zapping that asshole!” Azula growled. “You can’t go Uncle. Your leg is really bad and your lungs won’t be able to resist that kind of travel even on ostrich-horse.”

“But I must Azula,” Iroh said frowning. “This is a decree. It’s not an optional thing like the Matchmaker to try to gain honor. If I don’t go then I will be persecuted as a deserter, which is worse than living without honor. I am still a powerful firebender, I can go.”

“I will go in your place!” Azula cried.

“You can’t!” Iroh grabbed her forearm tightly. “Women are not allowed to fight in combat! The punishment for that would be death! Plus, there is no woman in the world who can bend blue fire and lightning bend! They would know immediately that you are Princess Azula of the Fire Nation and your execution would be very public and very painful.”

“I can’t let you go die out there!”

“And I can’t let YOU die out there!” Iroh held her tight. “Please Azula, it’s better this way. I have lived a long life. At least if I die in camp I’ll die with my honor restored and be able to reunite with my son…and Zuko.”

Azula had no more words left to say as she watched Iroh limp away on his cane to his study where he stored his armor and Zuko’s twin swords. She couldn’t believe this. After everything, she was willing to give it all for honor just so her and Uncle Iroh could live out their days in peace, and now she was about to lose the last remaining family member she had.

She watched as Iroh practiced with the twin swords, his hands trembling so badly he couldn’t even hold the swords up, Then he punched his fist out and a small wisp of fire burst through. He couldn’t even put his body in the proper firebending stance to release a good flame, that flame wouldn’t have even harmed a small child.

Azula made the decision in that moment. She couldn’t allow him to go and die in that camp. It was a risk, a very deadly risk, but she needed to take it. It was for her that he lost his honor. At first she believed that he was risking it all for Zuko but when he was killed settled for her, but after living with him these past four years she knew that he was there for _both_ of them even though she had been so terrible to him before. Now, _she_ had to risk it all for him.

It was after Iroh had fallen into deep sleep that Azula stole the scroll, his armor and Zuko’s twin swords and went out to the sheds to take her ostrich-horse Blackie. She cut her hair to her shoulders and put it in a tight masculine top knot then used bands to press down her breasts and make them flat. The armor made her look more bulky but the pants were tight and it made it very obvious that she was…lacking something essential. She left her things by Blackie then ran to her room to the locked chest she kept under her bed.

Being a seasoned lesbian, she had plenty of…accessories to help and quickly put on a movable, skin colored toy that could curve perfectly into a bulge and extend if it wanted to be used. Azula had no intention of actually using it but she never really bought toys for any other reason, so they all had that purpose.

When she refastened the uniform pants the bulge looked large and realistic. Though her overall look still looked, ‘soft’ she doubted even the female medics, maids, and cooks would suspect her. Nodding in satisfaction, Azula returned to the shed, fasted the scroll and Zuko’s swords to her belt then mounted Blackie and sped off.

…

“Spirits awaken!” Iroh lifted his hands into the air and closed his eyes. “Please spirits. Protect my niece Azula on this perilous journey. She has taken my place in war for the honor of our family name! Please spiritual ancestors! Protect her! Send her a guide to help her journey.”

Iroh bowed down to the ground crying and placing his forehead on the concrete of the altar.

From above them a spirit version of Ozai scoffed, “my daughter is more foolish than I thought.”

“Oh you shut it Ozai, this is all your fault anyways!” Sozin growled at him. “We were the Firelords! YOU were the one who brought this dishonor upon us all!”

Zoryu nodded his head. “This is what happens when a brother steals his brother’s rightful place in the throne as my own brother tried to do to me! You were never meant to be Firelord! If Iroh had been Firelord as it was meant to be…”

“Then the Fire Nation would be the weakest of all the Nations!”

“It doesn’t even exist anymore father!” Zuko grumbled from his spot perched on the pedestal. “The Fire Nation is united with all the other nations now and firebenders are best served for running machines in factories! I doubt Uncle Iroh would have caused that.”

“That’s right!” Sozin snapped. “Not to mention that you caused the death of your own son, and now your daughter…”

“My daughter is the only one doing something to restore our family’s honor!” Ozai growled.

“She’s trying to repair the damage YOU caused!” Zuko yelled. “Great Grandfathers, Sozin and Zoryu, you are the ones who make all the decisions for our ancestral spirits. Listen to Uncle Iroh’s pleas, send Azula a guide.”

“And we should help the daughter of our greatest shame why?” Sozin said.

“Because she has no fault nor did I,” Zuko said. “Please great grandfathers. Allow me to venture to the spiritual hall of my mother’s ancestors. My great grandfather Roku was an exemplary Avatar. He would be an excellent guide for Azula. Give us the chance to repair the damage our father caused!”

Ozai huffed in response.

“I suppose this is the only chance we have to restore our honor,” Sozin said. “Azula is quite a bender.”

“A prodigy!” Ozai exclaimed. “Even better than me!”

“But if she gets caught they won’t care about that!” Zoryu cried.

“Then let me help!” Zuko cried. “I can awaken the spirit of my great grandfather Roku and he can guide Azula.”

“Must we lower ourselves asking for help from your mother’s side?” Ozai groaned.

“At least mother’s side has HONOR!” Zuko snapped.

“Very well,” Sozin said. “But Zuko, we are really swallowing our pride allowing the mother’s ancestral spirits to help. Don’t come back until you make sure Roku gets the job done.”

“I won’t give up great grandfathers,” Zuko said bowing to them.

Zuko blinked once and he appeared right in front of Roku temple. His mother’s ancestral temple was humble and hidden on an abandoned volcanic island but he remembered it well. He remembered his trips here as a young boy with his mother before she left. He entered the temple tentatively and was met with a fierce spirit dragon who spoke in a low growl.

“Those of the house of Ozai aren’t welcome here! They have damaged our lineage with their dishonor!”

“I seek the help of my great grandfather Roku to redeem that honor,” Zuko said gulping in intimidation. “I seek his help in being the guide to my sister who is trying to regain our honor.”

“That honor will benefit your father’s family line not ours, Ursa preserved our honor when she left your poisoned family tree behind.”

“Please,” Zuko said getting on his knees. “Great Grandfather Roku, Azula needs a guide! She can’t do this on her own!”

“Indeed she can’t.”

The voice didn’t come from the dragon but from someone behind him. Zuko snapped his head around and gasped when he saw Roku floating there in a translucent shade of blue. His own family looked like a light shade of swamp green because of their dishonor.

“Will you help her Great grandfather?”

“The best guide for your sister is not me young Zuko, it’s you.”

“Me?”

“You were supposed to have a great destiny Zuko,” Roku said. “I nearly spared your great grandfather Sozin when he had the same ideals as your father but I’m glad I didn’t because he would have slaughtered all the airbenders in order to avoid the next Avatar. My successor was travelling to the Southern Water Tribe to train in waterbending when he got frozen in a block of ice for one hundred years.”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “That’s why we never saw the Avatar interfere with my father? I thought it was them who rallied all the people onto that rebellion on the day of the eclipse.”

“No, that was done by your own people and rebels from the other nations who were gathered together by a brilliant non-bender from the Southern Water Tribe named Sokka,” Roku said. “My successor was actually in the Earth Kingdom at the time learning water and earthbedning because he was preserved as a twelve year old boy. You were supposed to have been his firebending teacher.”

“Me?” Zuko’s eyes were wide.

Roku nodded. “You were supposed to teach him and stop your father’s regime together. You were supposed to help with uniting the nations as it is now. That was supposed to be your destiny and it was ripped from you. So now your destiny has changed.” Roku placed a hand on Zuko’s shoulder. “Now your destiny will be to guide your sister to victory. Guide your sister to save the nations from the _daofei,_ who are willing to slaughter everyone, and restore your family name.”

“H-how can I help her?”

“You have so much potential in you that you never got a chance to realize,” Roku said. “This is how you will realize it. Go to her. Be her guide.”

Zuko gulped and nodded. He was terrified and unsure but there was no one else to turn to. If he didn’t help Azula, no one would. Determined, he went off to find her.

…

The camp was flooded with men from all over and Azula already felt like vomiting. Some of the men were rough housing, eating like slobs, and doing gross things like scrubbing their crusty feet and having farting competitions. She walked to the registration table where she saw the sneering man who delivered the scroll. She avoid making eye contact with him as she handed him the scroll and said, “I am here representing General Iroh.”

Feng took the scroll then looked at her with narrowed eyes. “Iroh’s son died and so did his nephew. He has no other men who represent him.”

“He had a sister that was conceived out of wedlock,” Azula said. “He kept it secret for the sake of his brother Firelord Ozai. I am the son of his sister.”

Feng studied her close. “You look familiar.”

“I do resemble my uncle, or so I’ve been told.”

Feng hummed and returned the scroll to her. “Very well. What is your name cadet?”

Azula hesitated. “Uh, Lee. My name is Lee.”

“Lee,” Feng repeated. “That is a name more common in the Earth Kingdom than in the Fire Nation.”

“My mother is from the Earth Kingdom,” Azula responded quickly. She had never been more glad that her father taught her to be manipulative and quick witted. This Feng guy wouldn’t get the best of her.

“Hmm,” Feng glared at her. “Are you an earthbender?”

“No, I am a firebender,” Azula said.

Feng pointed to her swords. “You also do non-bender combat?”

“Yes sir,” Azula said nodding. Both her and Zuko trained in hand-to-hand but Zuko was more of the sword master than she was so she would have to practice with these things some more.

“You might be of use to us yet,” Feng said with a grin. “You will report to two commanders while you are here. Commander Jeong Jeong will be training you in firebending combat and Senior Commander Sokka will be training you in non-bender hand-to-hand combat. Dismissed cadet!”

Azula saluted awkwardly then walked to the staging area where several men were already setting up their own tents and a few were fighting over good spots. The good spots were either near the cafeteria tent, the maids tents, or the medical tent. That meant that these idiots were fighting over trying to sleep close to the women of the camp. Azula rolled her eyes in annoyance and walked to the furthest edge of the camp where absolutely no one was setting up their camps.

She took the pack from Blackie and quickly set up her tent and sleeping bags then tied up Blackie to the fence right behind her tent.

“Hi.”

Azula jumped in surprise then turned to look at a young slender woman with her brown hair tied in a long braid. Azula recognized her almost instantly. She was a Fire Nation noble who went to school with her. Azula never interacted with her at all but she always looked at her from a distance. Actually, she was one of the first girls who made Azula realize that she wasn’t into boys.

She lowered her gaze quickly, scared that the girl would recognize her, as the girl said, “I’m Ty Lee. I’m one of the maids. Do you need me to clean your armor? Many men travelled from far distances to get here and they probably need their things washed after a long journey.”

“No thank you,” Azula said keeping her head down.

“Okay, well if you need me I am always at the maids tent,” Ty Lee said.

“Are you going to all the tents and asking this?” Azula said daring to peek up at her.

“No, the soldiers can just come leave their stuff in the basket beside out tent and we will wash them,” Ty Lee said smiling. “It’s just that you remind me of someone so I just wanted to say hello.”

Azula gulped. “I do? Um, who?”

Ty Lee shook her head. “I don’t wanna insult you or anything.”

“I don’t get insulted easily.” That was a lie but Azula really needed to know if this girl suspected something.

“You remind of this girl I used to like in school,” Ty Lee said. “Don’t get offended yeah? You are super manly and handsome and all that, it’s just that you have the same eyes as her. She was my first crush you know? But, totally unattainable.”

Azula looked at her with wide eyes. “I have her…eyes?”

“Yeah,” Ty Lee said. “But she never gave me the time of day and I’m pretty sure she was straight. I was just a lowly Fire Nation noble, there’s no way the princess was ever gonna look at me.”

Azula gulped. “I remind you of…the princess?”

“Just your eyes!” Ty Lee said raising her hands up. “You are really manly and tough don’t get offended.”

“I’m not offended,” Azula said giving her a smile and trying not to blush about the fact that the girl she liked in school had a crush on her too. “Many Fire Nation citizens have eyes like this. It’s not terribly uncommon.”

“That is true, especially if they’re firebenders,” Ty Lee said. “Are you a firebender?”

“Yes, I am.”

Ty Lee smiled shyly. “Well Mr. firebender with the same eyes as the former princess, just so you know I do like both men and women so if you ever wanted to have some company while you eat, just like…let me know.”

Azula raised a brow. Was she…flirting with her?

“What’s your name?” Ty Lee said.

“Oh, uh, Lee,” Azula responded.

“Similar to my name,” Ty Lee said smiling. “Anyways, nice to meet you Lee. Have a nice night.”

“Good night Ty Lee,” Azula said as the girl turned on her heel and left with a slight sway of her hips.

Azula sighed enamored but it was short-lived when a large hand smacked her shoulder so hard she nearly fell on her face.

“Damn pretty boy you got a girlfriend already?”

Azula rubbed her sore shoulder and looked over to a tall slender man with a jagged jawline and a long strain of wheat hanging out of his mouth. “The name’s Jett,” he said pointing to his chest. “Non-bender, from a small Earth Kingdom village. I’m usually wary of Fire Nation folk but I must learn your technique. How did you get that girl to approach you like that? Anytime I get close to a girl they just ignore me!”

“Uh, well…” Azula had no idea what to say.

“Wait wait,” another man with long hair, a green bandana, and a thin mustache and goatee ran up beside him and pulled out a notepad and a pen. “Tell me everything. I gotta write it down.”

“Back off Haru, I got here first to learn the technique!” Jett snapped.

“Why can’t we _all_ learn it?” Haru argued.

“Because if too many of us do it then they’re gonna catch on!”

“Whoa whoa!” a skinny bald man with airbender tattoos stepped in between Haru and Jett pushing them apart. “Easy there guys. We aren’t here to try get with girls, we are training to stop the _daofei_.”

Haru immediately bowed. “Sorry Avatar.”

Jett scoffed. “Hey, I’m just a guy trying to make war a little more fun. It’s easy for you to stop our fun because you already have a sexy waterbender girlfriend sucking your knob.”

Azula would have rolled her eyes at that comment if it wasn’t because she was staring at the bald man with wide eyes. “You’re the Avatar? I thought the Avatar disappeared after Avatar Roku’s death?”

“I did,” the bald man said smiling. “I was frozen in a block of ice for one hundred years. I’m Aang.”

Azula shook his hand and said, “I’m Lee.”

“So on with it Lee,” Jett said. “Tell us your secret.”

Aang sighed. “Ignore him Lee.”

“No come on please,” Haru said looking at her with puppy eyes.

“There’s no secret,” Azula said shrugging. “She approached me because I reminded her of someone she knew once. If you wanna get girls to like you don’t try so hard. Just smile and be kind and they will come to you.”

Jett and Haru looked at each other then burst out laughing. “Are you insane?” Jett said. “This is war! We aren’t looking for a girlfriends. We just wanna get our dicks sucked.”

“That’s right,” Haru added. “I would very much like to not die a virgin.”

Jett laughed. “You’re a virgin? Shit dude. We GOTTA get you laid!”

“Ugh, you two are gross,” Aang said shaking his head. “Get out of here.”

Jett and Haru left laughing loudly as Aang looked at Azula and smiled, “sorry about them.”

“Why are you here with us grunts Avatar Aang?” Azula said raising a brow. “Shouldn’t you be in one of the Commander tents?”

“I’m not a commander,” Aang said smiling. “They offered me that rank believe me but I didn’t think I earned it like the other commanders. I had no part in the war against Firelord Ozai and I just barely mastered Firebending recently so I thought I should train with the rest of your guys. I want to practice all my bending styles in combat form and learn hand-to-hand combat since I have zero experience in that area.”

Azula smiled. “You are a very humble Avatar.”

“I am not full realized yet, I’m only 16 you know,” Aang said. “Until I am I do prefer if people just call me Aang. Most people don’t though.”

“I will,” Azula said smiling at him. “You should always be called what you want to be called.”

“Thanks Lee,” Aang said. “Anyways, welcome to the camp. My tent is that one there so you can stop by and say hi whenever.”

“Thank you,” Azula said. “Good night Aang.”

“Good night,” Aang said waving and walking to his tent.

Azula sighed deeply and crawled into her tent. She was exhausted and those interactions had been terrifying the entire time. She was so scared that a single mannerism and slight of voice would give her away as a woman and then it would all be over.

“You know, you have to walk differently if you don’t want them to figure out you’re a woman, you sway your hips too much.”

Azula yelped and ignited her fist in blue flame. She turned to the voice ready to burn her entire tent down if necessary but the flame died out immediately when she saw who was there.

“Z-Zuko?”

Zuko, looked like a greenish faded version of himself, but he still smiled at her and nodded. “Hi Azula.”

Azula covered her mouth to muffle her scream and backed as far away as possible from him. “W-what the hell? H-how is this possible?”

“Just try to relax Azula,” Zuko said. “I am a spirit. I was sent here to guide you.”

“Y-you were sent here…to…what?”

“Uncle Iroh has been praying for you everyday since you left,” Zuko said. “He wanted to go after you but revealing you would mean your death so I came here to help you hide your identity and get our family honor back.”

Azula blinked rapidly processing that information. “I, uh, but you’re dead? H-how…”

“You’re the only one who can see or hear me,” Zuko said. “Our great grandfather was Avatar Roku and he helped me with the spiritual process to make that possible.”

Azula looked at him. “Wait what? Avatar…okay hold up, our great grandfather was Avatar Roku but they sent YOU as my guide?”

“I thought the same thing,” Zuko said shrugging. “But Avatar Roku said this was my journey to make, so here I am.”

“How are you supposed to help me exactly?” Azula said raising a brow.

“Well I did live my whole life as a man so I help you act more like a man,” Zuko said. “You have some mannerisms that make you more…um, feminine.”

Azula frowned. “I am worried about that.”

“You do pass well though, I figure they might think you’re a gay man,” Zuko said.

Azula grimaced. “It’s bad enough that I get hit on by boys all the time as a woman, but even dressed like this to still get hit on? Yeah, no thanks.”

Zuko laughed. “Well, we can work on some stuff. I could also, you know, teach you how to use my swords.”

Azula looked down to her belt and removed Zuko’s swords from them. “I’m sorry for taking them. I know they’re yours but I’m doing this for Uncle Iroh and for you too. The only reason you died is because you were helping me and Mai escape.”

At the mention of Mai, Zuko looked up at her. “D-did, uh, did Mai…you know, make it?”

Azula frowned. “When were running away the archers got her.”

Zuko dropped his head. “Damn it.”

“She died with honor Zuko,” Azula said. “She fought to the very end and made sure I got to Uncle Iroh and Blackie waiting for me at the gate, even with three arrows sticking out of her back.”

She reached into her boots and pulled out three small daggers. “She was teaching me to throw these by the way. I always kept them in my room, but I decided to bring them here. Honor her too in a way.”

Zuko nodded sadly. “I’m sure she appreciates it.”

“Why are you that color? It looks kinda…vomitty. Do all spirits look like that?”

“No,” Zuko said. “We are supposed to be a brilliant bright blue. I, and all of our other ancestors on our father’s side look like this because of our dishonor.”

Azula sighed deeply. “This is such a mess. I’m not even sure I can keep this up.”

“Well it’ll be a lot easier to keep it up if you stay away from Ty Lee,” Zuko said. “I remember her from school. She was a good friend of Mai’s. She knew you as Azula and you’re very lucky she didn’t recognize you just now, but if you let her any closer she will figure it out and it’ll all be over.”

Azula nodded. “You’re right. She already pointed out a similarity. Once she’s sees me bend she will probably get even more suspicious.”

“Yeah, speaking of, is there any way you can make your flame red?”

“If I dial it back, yes,” Azula said.

“Good then do that, and don’t lightning bend,” Zuko said. “The less people think about Azula the less chance of you getting caught.”

Azula nodded. “Right.”

“Also, where the hell did you get that name from?” Zuko scoffed. “Lee? Really Azula? It’s gross.”

…

“Goooood morning cadets!” The commander clad in blue Water Tribe gear walked along the line passing by each soldier as they stood at strict attention. “I am Senior Commander Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe and I will be training in non-bender hand-to-hand combat and basic fitness. In hand-to-hand combat we may have to fight other skilled fighters or try to get close to a bender who can hit you from miles away. In order to be a great fighter you have to fight with your brain not your fists! The best fighters are the ones who can think and formulate plans during the spur of the moment times in battle and take down whole battalions.”

Sokka pointed to a table full of weapons. “Each non-bender could use different weapons or techniques. I have lieutenants skilled in every type of weapon from martial arts to swords, staffs, archery, and nunchunks, and even chi blocking. My specialty is boomerang and sword fighting, but I will also be challenging you to special assignments that can’t be accomplished by brawns alone but by brains.”

Sokka grabbed a bow and arrow and shot one up to the very top of a massive pole that went up several feet in the air. He grabbed two large gold weights that were attached to thick silk cloths and said, “you must retrieve the arrow from the top of that staff using these alone. You cannot use any other weapons or people to assist, and you can’t use bending.”

He handed the weights to Jett who nearly fell right onto his face when Sokka let them go in his arms. Azula watched as Jett wrapped the weights around his wrists and then started climbing the pole. The pole was smooth and had no ridges for him to grab onto so after a few moments he started sliding down again and again until he fell off the pole.

After Jett, cadet after cadet tried to climb the pole and fell off without even being able to get a quarter of the way up. Azula fell off pretty quickly too mostly because she could barely even carry the damn weights. Much to her embarrassment, she noticed on her way back to her spot that Ty Lee was watching her from in front of the maid’s tents.

Aang was the one who got the furthest up. He got about halfway up before Sokka yelled out, “Aang! You aren’t allowed to airbend! That’s cheating!”

Aang floated back down to the ground with a sheepish grin and returned the weights to Sokka. “It wasn’t really airbending actually. It was a technique one of my past lives did called ‘duststepping.’ Sorry.”

“It’s still bending,” Sokka said. “Figure it out without bending!”

Aang saluted awkwardly and returned to his spot.

“Alright men,” Sokka said puffing out his chest. “In addition to your bending and combat trainings you will also be doing conditioning. All of the conditioning I will be putting your through isn’t just to make you stronger and faster but also to increase your brain power. In order to endure my conditioning you have to be mind over matter. My goal is make you stronger in your brain too. If you are successful in that, you should be able to get that arrow down. Until then, it stays up there.”

Despite Sokka’s warnings, the conditioning was far worse then Azula could have ever imagined. She was a gifted bender that was for sure. In Commander Jeong’s trainings she was far superior then all the other firebenders even though she was holding back at extreme levels to keep her flame red. With Zuko’s nightly trainings, she excelled well at sword fighting and was able to give Jett, also a double sword master, a run for his money. But the conditionings…that was another story.

The rest of the men were stronger and faster by quite a bit and even though she was pushing her body to the limits she couldn’t keep up. She was last at every task and she was the first to fall out when the exercises got rough. There wasn’t a day her body wasn’t sore and she couldn’t figure out that mind over matter thing to be able to actually keep up with the men or to get that damn arrow off the pole.

Zuko was the only one who kept her sane. She always snuck her food to the far sides of the camp to avoid Ty Lee who was constantly trying to talk with her so Zuko would keep her company, and Zuko also helped her sneak out of a camp to a hot spring where she could actually get herself clean and relax.

She was dragging along just fine until one night Sokka came to her tent and asked her to come out.

“Y-yes commander,” Azula said standing up tall at attention ignoring Zuko who was pacing around Sokka nervously.

“This is your final warning,” Sokka handed her a scroll. “You are a fine firebender Cadet Lee, but your physical fitness is not at the level we need. These _daofei_ are absolutely ruthless and strong and my conditioning would be as easy as walking for them. If you can’t keep up with my conditioning you can’t survive a battle with the _daofei_.”

Azula gulped.

“You have a week to catch up, or I’m sending you home.”

Azula wanted to cry, but instead she nodded her head and said, “yes sir.”

Sokka turned on his heel and left her there.

“That’s bullshit!”

She looked at Zuko at that remark, but it wasn’t him who said it. He pointed behind her to Jett was approached her with Haru and Aang by his side.

“You can firebend better than Commander Jeong himself and you kick my ass in sword fighting all the time,” Jett said. “They wanna send you home just cause you can’t do some pushups? That’s bullshit.”

“I agree,” Haru said nodding his head. “I think that’s a stupid reason to dismiss someone without honor like that.”

“I’m really sorry Lee,” Aang said frowning. “I know how important honor is to Fire Nation people.”

“I have a week right?” Azula said looking up at the arrow. “Well, then in a week, I’m gonna get that fucking arrow.”

…

Azula sighed deeply and relaxed in the hot spring. Zuko had been pestering her all night telling her to practice the physical fitness and trying to find a way to use secret firebending to get the arrow. Eventually she got tired of him, told him to fuck off, and snuck out of the camp.

The camp was completely dead with nothing by night guards barely awake patrolling around and total silence. Now in the pitch blackness, Azula could finally relax in the spring and think about what she could do.

Uncle Iroh used to meditate with her often when she moved in with him. At first, when she was still a spoiled princess, she would complain and say the act was “beneath her” but now she wondered if meditation could give her that mind over matter thing.

Mind over matter.

If it was all about strategy and skill rather than sheer strength that means there must be a way to use those weights on the silk to climb that pole. The silk was not so smooth that it would slip off the pole, theoretically it could cause enough traction to hang onto the pole. Hmm. She would have to started practicing using them and climbing the pole. There had to be a way to use the cloth as some sort of rope. Maybe the weights didn’t matter. Maybe the weights were there to confuse?

“Ahh, it’s nice to finally get out.”

Azula tensed and immediately swam behind a tree. She gasped when she saw Ty Lee, Aang’s waterbender girlfriend Katara, Commander Sokka’s wife Suki, and the blind cook Toph climb into the spring and sigh deeply.

Damn it. She needed to get out of here. She was naked. There was no way she would pull off that boy look _now_!

“It’s nice to get away sometimes,” Katara said sighing. “I’m just glad my brother gives us access.”

“He better if he ever wants to get laid again,” Suki said scoffing. “It’s bad enough that he has us teach his idiot lieutenants combat shit and then THEY go teach when we’re obviously better for the job.”

“I know right?” Ty Lee said sighing. “Lieutenant Bo is a complete moron. He doesn’t even explain chi blocking correctly. All his students chi block like amateurs and miss the mark all the time. If I was teaching it…”

“They would be unstoppable!” Katara cried. “And tell me about fucking Commander Pakku! I can waterbend his ass back to the Northern Water Tribe so easily! His waterbending squad just sucks.”

“Don’t even get me started on Commander Boulder,” Toph added. “He earthbends like a novice.”

“Yeah seriously,” Suki said laughing. “You are literally the best earthbender in the world! You two are the ones who taught Aang water and earthbending respectively! I just can’t fathom why they won’t let a woman fight.”

“Because they’re scared,” Katara said. “They are so terrified because Princess Azula disappeared off the face of the earth and she can firebend so well she can probably take down that whole army singlehandedly, so now they don’t want any woman fighting.”

“Maybe they wouldn’t be so scared if they let us fight!” Toph cried. “They might stand a chance against this Azula girl if they let us help!”

“Or maybe, you know, just maybe,” Ty Lee said looking sad. “Azula doesn’t want to take out a whole army.”

“You think?” Suki said cocking her head to the side. “She was pretty hardcore on her father’s side in the war.”

“I don’t know,” Ty Lee said shrugging. “I mean no one has heard or seen her in four years! I think if she wanted revenge she would have done it sooner don’t you think?”

“Maybe,” Katara said.

“Ty Lee’s right,” Toph said. “She would have struck sooner while the wounded were still trying to recover.”

“Or she’s biding her time waiting until we put our guard down,” Suki said.

“Our guard is never down Suki,” Ty Lee said chuckling. “She would be waiting for a very long time.”

“That’s true,” Katara said laughing.

“Listen this has been nice but I’m pruning like a raisin here, let’s go back to our tents,” Toph said. “I’m done marinating.”

The rest of the girls laughed then followed Toph out of the hot spring. Azula waited patiently and quietly behind the tree until the voices disappeared then let out a sigh of relief. That conversation was not helpful to her state of mind. It was bad enough trying to figure out this mind over matter thing and trying not to get executed, without also having to feel guilty over causing all this oppression against her fellow women.

She climbed out of the hot spring, dried off and got dressed quickly, before putting her hair back in her top knot and sneaking back towards the camp. She was walking down the path when Ty Lee appeared out of nowhere calling over her shoulder, “I’ll meet you guys there I forgot my hair tie!”

Azula couldn’t escape this encounter nor the collision that happened almost immediately afterwards. They crashed into each other hard and landed in a heap on the floor with Ty Lee straddling Azula.

“Oh!” Ty Lee cried in surprise. “Lee? What are you doing here?”

Azula gulped and stayed as still as possible. “Um, I was, I was j-just taking a walk. I needed some, uh, f-fresh air.”

Ty Lee raised a brow. “And your hair is wet because?”

“I dunked my head in the lake down the path,” Azula said quickly. “It’s hot you know.”

Ty Lee cocked her head to the side then looked down in between their bodies. Azula’s eyes widened. Oh spirits the toy! She could feel the toy and she was dressing far too quickly to make sure it was tucked properly. Her face flushed red and she let out a small squeak, “I should get back to my tent!”

“Wait!” Ty Lee pressed down on Azula’s shoulders and kept her there. “It’s alright Lee. I’ve been working in military camps since I was like 16, I know how it is with you men. Most of the men just kinda take care of it in their tents. You don’t have to go ‘out for a walk’ every time you have that problem.”

“No I’m fine!” Azula tried to sit up and push Ty Lee off.

Ty Lee grabbed her shoulders and said, “You know Lee I’ve been observing you for a while. I think you’re really cute and I think I can help you with your problem.”

Azula gulped. “M-my problem?”

“You know with the arrow and keeping up with the rest of the cadets,” Ty Lee said. “Sokka calls it mind over matter but really he’s talking about your chi.”

Azula looked at her curiously. Well there didn’t seem to be a lot of options on what to do to not get kicked out of the military and Zuko was running out of ideas too. Maybe accepting help from Ty Lee who was the REAL Chi Blocking master could be what she needs to figure it out.

“Chi is the energy you have deep inside you,” Ty Lee said. “Using Chi is how a person can jump great distances and lift things that are impossible by anyone else’s standards. Channeling your chi can make you surpass your body’s limitations.”

Azula nodded. “And how do I do that?”

“Well all you have to do is feel your Chi and embrace it, but you can’t do that when it’s blocked,” Ty Lee said wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

“B-blocked?”

“Chi’s can be unblocked with extreme meditation, chi training, or…release.”

Azula gulped getting the gist of where Ty Lee was going with this. “Well then, I think I can take care of that in my tent.”

“And why would you do with your hand something that I can do so much better?” Ty Lee said seductively.

“T-Ty Lee,” Azula groaned softly.

Ty Lee’s hands flew down to Azula’s pants and started unbuckling them. She breathed desperately, “I’ve been craving this Lee. I’ve been searching for someone who could pound me so fucking hard I can’t move my legs and none of the men or women in the camps have met those requirements. I know you can though Lee, I sensed it from day one. I can feel how powerful your chi is when you fight with your swords and when you firebend…wow. It’s actually like you’re holding back, like you can probably firebend even more powerfully than that and you’re barely using a fraction of your power.”

Azula gulped as Ty Lee pulled the toy out of the zipper of her pants and started rubbing it. She thanked the spirits that she brought the most realistic of all her toys and that she wore it constantly without a break just in case.

“Oh Lee, you’re so big,” Ty Lee moaned sliding her free hand into Azula’s hair. “I know the first day I met you I compared you to a girl I used to have a crush on, but there’s no doubt that you are ALL man.”

“Ty Lee, please, th-this is risky,” Azula groaned struggling to remain in control.

Ty Lee gripped Azula’s armor and tried to peel it off but Azula stopped her and pinned her to the ground. “N-no, don’t take it off.”

Ty Lee moaned and grabbed Azula’s shoulders. “Oh I love that you’re so desperate for me that you can’t even wait to take off your clothes.” She reached in between them and shoved down her own shorts and kicked them off until she was naked on the bottom half of her body. “Fuck me Lee. Fuck me!”

Azula couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted Ty Lee so bad it actually hurt. With how tight her pants were it pressed the toy directly against her clit and every time Ty Lee rubbed her wetness against it, it made it rub against it so deliciously. She was going crazy.

She grabbed the toy and shoved it in noticing that thankfully it did feel like real skin thanks to the extra amount of money she paid to make that so. It was a favorite of former girlfriends and at this moment, Ty Lee was none the wiser to the fact that it was a false cock. Even if it was plastic, Azula had a feeling Ty Lee would be far too turned on to even notice anyways.

Ty Lee moaned loudly and clung onto Azula’s neck as Azula sunk all the way in and bottomed out. Ty Lee wrapped her legs around Azula’s waist as Azula started a brutal pace slapping their hips together. The sound of slapping and moaning spread across the solitary path and Azula tried to keep her groans low and deep. She wanted to scream and moan but she couldn’t give it away now.

Azula filled her deep and made sure grind a bit more so that the toy hit her clit in just the right spot. She was going to cum so hard. Ty Lee was already starting to get whiny and arching up. “Oh spirits, please Lee, more!” Ty Lee cried.

“Yes,” Azula groaned snapping her hips as hard and fast as she could.

Ty Lee’s let out a strangled cry as her body burst into trembles and the orgasm was so powerful Azula felt it through the toy.

Her legs started shaking and she quickly pulled out and turned to the side as the orgasm hit her. She shook hard with her release and she could feel Ty Lee watching her in awe.

Azula put the toy away and redid her pants then stood up and helped Ty Lee get up. Ty Lee let out a happy giggle and hugged Azula’s shoulders. She kissed her jawline and said, “oh Lee that was wonderful. And I appreciate you pulling out and coming on the ground. Most guys would have cum in me or on me.”

Azula gulped. “Well, I have respect for you, ya know?”

Ty Lee was beaming. Azula snatched Ty Lee’s shorts from the ground and handed them to her. Ty Lee slid them on then hooked her arm to Azula’s arm and walked with her back to camp.

“I know this is war and everything,” Ty Lee said sighing dreamily. “But I would really like it if you could be my boyfriend.”

“B-boyfriend?” Azula said gulping.

“After we defeat the _daofei_ , you can come visit me in Kyoshi Village if you want, that’s where I live now, and you know while we’re in camp,” Ty Lee slid her finger down Azula’s chest. “I can…keep helping you unblock your chi.”

Everything in Azula’s body was screaming for her to say no to this. This was far too risky and Zuko would be livid, but with Ty Lee looking up at her so sweetly how could she?

“I would be honored to be your boyfriend Ty Lee,” Azula said. Ah, fuck.

…

Zuko was livid. Azula had been gone for hours now. Dawn was coming soon and training would begin, where the hell was she? Did she run away? He was about to go out to the forest to find her when he heard giggling and saw Azula walking into the camp with Ty Lee on her arm. They were both giggling and cuddling up together.

“Are you kidding me?” Zuko cried.

“You know they were always meant to be.”

Zuko whirled around in surprise then gasped. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped. No way. This couldn’t be.

“M-Mai?”

Mai’s spirit was bright blue just like Avatar Roku’s and that made Zuko’s heart soar. Azula was right, she did die with honor and that gave him comfort.

“Did you know there’s this place that honored spirits can go to in the spirit world?” Mai said giving him a small smile. “It’s a beautiful open field full of love and light where spirits could live for all eternity in peace.”

Zuko was crying so much tears were sliding off his jaw.

Mai reached forward and wiped the tears off his face. “Don’t cry darling. That is where I am waiting for you.”

“W-waiting? For me?” Zuko said his voice trembling.

“I always knew I was going to spend my life with you but now to spend eternity with you is a dream,” Mai said. “I asked a spirit I helped for this favor to come speak with you.”

“B-but Mai, you said that place is for honored spirits…” Zuko motioned to his current image.

“That’s why you can’t give up on her,” Mai said motioning to Azula who was now kissing Ty Lee. “I know she’s stubborn and difficult but she’s your only shot at getting your family’s honor back. Don’t give up on her just like you wouldn’t give up on me.” Mai caressed Zuko’s cheek and smiled, “I’ll be waiting for you in paradise Zuko.”

“I love you,” Zuko breathed kissing Mai’s lips tenderly. “I won’t give up ever Mai, I will see you again.”

Mai smiled as she started fading away. “I know Zuko, I know.”

As Mai disappeared, Zuko wiped away his tears and turned around to speak to Azula as she approached him timidly. “I know Zuko. You told me to stay away from Ty Lee but she literally threw herself on me! No one in their right mind would say no and I actually think this might help to unblock my Chi so I can…”

“It’s okay Azula,” Zuko said smiling at her. “After all, you might die doing this, you might as well enjoy yourself, just…be careful and never give up.”

Azula looked at him in surprise. “Wow. You’re being…surprisingly supportive.”

“Well I…”

“Lee!” Azula jumped as Jett, Haru, and Aang ran up to her giggling wildly.

“I totally saw you from my tent coming back into camp with Ty Lee and then kssing her!” Jett cried.

“I saw it too!” Haru cried. “Dude what the hell? How long has that been going on?”

“Did you fuck her?” Jett said.

“Was she good?”

“Did she suck your dick?”

“Oh she must have been good, she’s been around the camp…”

“Guys!” Aang jumped in thankfully because Azula was about two seconds away from burning one of them. “That’s a bit much!”

“Just a bit?” Azula cried. “Unlike you idiots I actually respect my women. I don’t kiss and tell and I don’t appreciate other people talking in a derogatory manner about my girlfriend!”

Jett and Haru stood up straight at attention and looked at Azula with wide eyes. Aang turned in surprise and grinned. “Girlfriend? Ty Lee is your girlfriend?”

Azula blushed. “Y-yes.”

“Oh that’s so great!” Aang cried. “I’ve known Ty Lee for four years since I emerged out of that ice cap. She was running with a circus and then ran into Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors and decided to join them. I met her when me, Katara, and Sokka were travelling to the Earth Kingdom to find my earthbending master. She’s been my ally and friend ever since and she’s been really sad and lonely that whole time cause she was in love with Princess Azula.”

Azula looked at him with wide eyes. “I’m sorry, what?”

“That was the past though,” Aang said grabbing Azula’s shoulders. “We’ve all been wanting Ty Lee to move on and find someone worthy and I think you are the perfect guy for her Lee.”

Azula gulped and glanced at Zuko in her peripherals. He looked alert and worried.

“Battalion line up!”

“Ah, we definitely gotta talk more about this later,” Aang said grinning. “But like respectfully, not like these guys.”

Jett scoffed and shrugged. “Hey man I haven’t got some in a while, can you blame me?”

“We live vicariously through others, we’re pathetic okay?” Haru added.

“Speak for yourself virgin boy,” Jett scoffed before running to the line up.

Azula sighed deeply then ran after Haru and Aang to the line up.

The conditioning was a rough as it always was but this time Azula fared much better. She wasn’t dead-last like always, and she wasn’t the first to fall out of tough exercises. It was like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She felt stronger and more free and suddenly Ty Lee’s little lesson took on a new meaning.

The “release” they had last night made Azula feel more relaxed and happy. Maybe that was the Chi Ty Lee was referring to.

That afternoon after training, Azula grabbed the weights on the silk and walked to the pole. She took a deep breath and held onto the silk tightly. She focused on her Chi, trying to relax and be calm. She jumped onto the pole and wrapped one of them around the pole. She felt the cloth grip onto the pole and she lifted herself. She was actually being able to move up when she never could before. She got up a few inches before the other silk started weighing her down and she fell off.

Azula stood back up and looked at the silks. There had to be a way to use them both. She took a deep breath to calm her Chi then started swinging both silks around the trying to tie them together. The weights clanged together or they hit the pole several times, but then on one swing the weights swung around each other then tied the two cloths into a thick knot.

Azula tested it. The cloth had traction and it was holding very steady. She took another calming breath then started pulling herself upwards. The silks tied together allowed her to move easily and she placed her feet flat on the pole. With the silks pulling her up and the feet giving her support, Azula was able to climb higher and higher.

Her arms strained from the pain of carrying all her weight and her knees were shaking from how hard she was pressing her feet down to hold on. She passed the halfway point when she heard cheers coming from below her. At the bottom, Zuko was looking up at her smiling but behind him basically the entire battalion was gathered cheering her own with loud hollers and cheers.

To the side, Ty Lee was looking up at her with love and admiration while the other women screamed like fangirls. Pride swelled up in Azula’s chest at the opportunity to impress Ty Lee and she kept pulling herself upwards even though everything burned.

She was almost at the top, the arrow was almost within reach. The commander’s tents were crowded. All the commanders and lieutenants were looking up with admiration with Sokka in the front grinning proudly and Chancellor Feng watching with a deep scowl that never seemed to leave his face.

Azula gripped the arrow with one hand and pulled it out with a low zing and the camp erupted in loud cheers. Azula lifted herself to the top of the pole, covered and sweat and grinned victoriously waving the arrow in the air. She threw the arrow with the precision of Mai’s techniques and the arrow landed with a thunk right at Sokka’s feet. The cheering grew louder and Azula grabbed the silks again to slide down the pole to the ground. The moment she landed, Aang, Jett, and Haru were upon her lifting her on their shoulders and all the cadets were patting her and cheering.

She was in a pool of testosterone and it was nauseating but she indulged it, especially when she saw Ty Lee looking at her with a heated look that made her insides churn.

…

Ty Lee came to her tent that night after everyone went to sleep. Azula noticed Suki, Katara, and Toph lurking nearby obviously checking if the coast was clear and Azula found it endearing that Ty Lee created a whole ninja mission with her friends to come see her.

“You got the arrow only after one release?” Ty Lee said walking to her seductively. “Imagine what you can do when I’m done with you tonight.”

Azula gulped and Ty Lee pulled out a small condom packet from her pocket and threw it at Azula. “This time, you stay in me when you cum,” she said lowly. “Now, take off your clothes.”

Even in her under armor clothing, Azula wore the binds, but taking off any more would reveal too much. “I’m, uh, n-not comfortable with taking off my clothes,” Azula said softly. “I have…” Azula bit her lip.

“What is it baby?” Ty Lee said kneeling in front of her and caressing her jaw.

“I have burns,” Azula spat. “My first firebending master was awful and his training methods involved burning me, so I don’t like showing my body. Is that okay?”

Ty Lee’s face contorted into one of tenderness and she pressed her lips against Azula’s. “Oh Lee, baby I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. I will love your body no matter what, but I want you to feel comfortable with me. We can build up to it okay?”

Azula felt just awful but she nodded and said, “Y-yeah.”

“If you aren’t comfortable getting naked that’s fine,” Ty Lee said standing up and shedding off her clothes seductively. Azula’s skin felt like she was on fire. “I’ll be naked enough for the both of us.”

Azula was in trance as Ty Lee moved to her knees in front of her and unbuckled her pants. Ty Lee pulled out the toy but didn’t try to move her pants down more, “do you also have burns on your legs?”

“Everywhere,” Azula said quickly. “Like this is fine.”

“Okay,” Ty Lee said licking her lips. She leaned down slowly and started licking from the bottom of the shaft to the tip. Azula let out a shaky breath when that movement caused the toy to rub so deliciously against her clit. Ty Lee lifted her head and gave her an odd look. “What a…unique taste.”

Azula gulped. “I, uh, eat a lot of, um, v-veggies?”

Ty Lee let out a short laugh. “You’re so cute.” She kissed Azula’s lips tenderly. “I don’t care how you taste.”

She leaned down again and wrapped her lips around the tip of the toy then started bobbing up and down. The friction was amazing and Azula’s moans weren’t fake at all every time Ty Lee bobbed up and down.

“Quit holding back,” Ty Lee breathed pulling away. “I wanna taste your precum, why are you holding back?”

Azula was trying not to panic. “Um, because if I don’t I’ll blow my whole load right in your mouth.”

Ty Lee grinned. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

Azula pulled Ty Lee flushed against her. “I rather be inside you when that happens.”

“Mm, that’s even better,” Ty Lee said moving to her hands and knees and looking over her shoulder and Azula invitingly. “Come and get me baby.”

Azula grabbed the condom and anxiously rolled it on the toy then moved up behind Ty Lee and gripped her hips. She pushed forward with one sharp thrust and moaned when that made the toy hit her clit so perfectly. Even without the pressure from the toy, Azula was pretty sure she could cum from just fucking Ty Lee.

“Fuck, yes Lee, uh,” Ty Lee moaned lying her forehead on the bedrolls.

Azula started moving her hips in slow hard motions and Ty Lee let out a low whine. Azula kept that pace going until Ty Lee started shoving backwards and whimpering anxiously. Azula moved her hips faster. She could feel something within her bubbling up ready to spill. She felt like she was about to explode with something much more powerful than an orgasm.

She wanted to take more time but she couldn’t seem to control her hips as they moved faster and faster. Ty Lee’s moans were anxious and the slapping sound filled the tent. Azula let out a grunt as a jolt shot down her spine, small sparks of electricity buzzed through her hands on Ty Lee’s hips pushing the non-bender immediately into a powerful orgasm. She muffled her scream by biting into a pillow but she trembled with such an intensity that Azula couldn’t hold back anymore.

A puff of blue fire erupted from her lips and the orgasm jolted her entire body. Ty Lee never stopped cumming the entire time as Azula trembled her release and the electricity tickled Ty Lee’s body.

“W-what are you doing to me?!” Ty Lee whimpered. “Lee! Oh Spirits!”

More blue fire puffed out from her mouth nearly scorching the top of the tent as Azula’s orgasm ended and Ty Lee collapsed face first onto the bedrolls and immediately passed out. Azula pulled out of her, disposed of the condom and put her toy away before she too collapsed right beside Ty Lee.

That was an experience she never had before. She’d been with plenty of women and did all kinds of things with them, but never in all that time had she ever bended while orgasming. It was most definitely the best orgasm of her life and Azula knew without a doubt that she was so crazy in love with Ty Lee.

But she also knew it was short lived. It didn’t matter that Ty Lee was bisexual, she thinks she’s with a man now and when she finds out the truth she will be so angry and rightfully so.

A loud horn interrupted Azula’s thoughts and she jolted up.

“Attention Battalion 3!” a voice rang out through the speakers. “The _daofei_ have appeared trekking through the Kyoshi mountains towards Ba Sing Se. Battalion 1 has intercepted them but they need assistance. Pack your things immediately and prepare to move out!”

Ty Lee shot up with a gasp as Azula quickly started gathering the roll. “You heard them, we gotta go.”

Ty Lee gave her a worried glance. “You’re going to combat? Battalion 3 is supposed to be a last resort team, I didn’t think you guys would actually…” she gulped and stood up. “I sh-should go back.”

“Hey,” Azula grabbed her wrist before she could start getting dressed. “I love you.”

Ty Lee looked at her with glossy eyes. “I love you too Lee, so much.”

She kissed Azula hard then quickly slipped her clothes on and ran out of the tent. Zuko appeared right after she left. “When it’s combat time you have to focus Azula,” he said looking grim. “I popped over to the mountains once I heard the announcement. The _daofei_ , they’re…” Zuko frowned. “If you lose focus for even a second, you will be killed Azula, without hesitation.”

Azula gulped nervously then nodded. “Understood.”

“Hurry up and pack,” Zuko said. “We have a long journey ahead.”

…

Nearly two days later the battalion arrived in Kyoshi village where massive fires and chaos on the mountain could be seen. The women immediately started setting up the medical and food centers while the men started marching towards the mountain to see the status.

At the base of the mountain they all stopped marching and total silence reigned. Azula wanted to cry and she wasn’t the only one. Hundreds and hundreds of bodies littered the ground with arrows and knives sticking out of them and there was blood everywhere. The majority of the battalion didn’t even make it up the mountain to reach the _daofei_. It looked like the _daofei_ were expecting them. At the entrance route they could see large boulders and rocks scattered all over as well as shards of ice and vicious looking fires, and there, there were hundreds of more bodies littered. It was obvious that whoever survived the initial onslaught of weapons were killed by the benders on the path.

Azula didn’t need to be a strategist to know that they would suffer the same fate if they tried to follow the same path.

“Fall back,” Sokka said his voice shaking. “We need to do some recon.”

The battalion obeyed immediately returning to the village where the women had set everything up but looked confused. “Sokka,” Suki said as the battalion approached. “The village is empty. No one is here at all, not even the Kyoshi warriors.”

Sokka looked stricken. “You don’t think…the _daofei_ took them do you?”

Suki gasped. “Oh spirits. I didn’t even think of that! Sokka, you need to go rescue them! I know what the _daofei_ do to prisoners! The Kyoshi warriors, what they’ll do to them…”

“If they have the villagers we will find them Suki, I promise,” Sokka said. He turned to the battalion and called out, “Aang, Jett, and Lee, I need you guys to do recon. You three are stealthiest men in the battalion and with Aang’s airbending you should be able to sneak in from above. We need to know if they have the villagers, if there’s any survivors of Battalion 1, where the _daofei_ are, and what are safe routes we can take to be able to catch them off guard and engage.”

Azula glanced at Ty Lee who looked horribly worried. She was standing next to Katara who was in tears. She focused back on Sokka and took a calming breath. She needed to focus now, with how ruthless these _daofei_ were she needed to be doing her best.

“Jett,” Aang called, “Lee. Grab onto my glider and don’t let go.” Azula grabbed onto the side of his glider for dear life as did Jett on the other side and then they were off. They flew high over the massive pass before they saw the _daofei_ camp. They were at the very top of the snowy hill laughing and celebrating, but as far as they could see there were no villagers there. At the bottom of the hill the snow there was coated in red where the rest of Battalion 1 were scattered.

Azula wanted to retch. She had never seen something so horrifying in her life and the very thought that her father intended to commit this kind of slaughter and manipulate her to follow in his footsteps made her want to vomit. Aang landed on top of a hill overlooking the _daofei_ camp and the three of them immediately moved low to the ground.

The snow here was totally unstable and any movement would send them tumbling right into the camp and then it was over for them. “They are smart,” Jett said. “There’s no way to get to them without climbing up that hill.”

“If we did that most of our men would be slaughtered before we even reached them,” Aang said.

“And we are vastly outnumbered,” Azula commented. “That’s their entire army. They have to be triple the size of our battalion.”

“You’re right,” Jett said. “I heard they were sending factions to fight before but after so many losses it looks like they united as one.”

“We won’t stand a chance,” Aang said.

“Aang’s right,” Azula said. “Even if we reached them, their sheer number alone would overwhelm us.”

“But there’s no one else left but us,” Jett said. “Battalion 2 was lost in the battle at sea and Battalion 1 was the last line of the defense, that’s why they even did the draft to get one man from each family. We are the last resort.”

Azula frowned. That’s what Ty Lee said. They weren’t supposed to see combat. In desperation she said, “but we have Aang. He’s the Avatar! Surely that gives us an advantage.”

Jett looked at Aang. “Does it?”

“I can probably do some damage,” Aang said. “But if they triple us as you calculate we’re talking about at least 150 thousand men. Even in the Avatar state I don’t think I can defeat an army of that size.”

“But without us, they will take Ba Sing Se easily,” Jett said. “And if they take Ba Sing Se then all is lost.”

“He’s right you know.” Azula glanced to her right at Zuko who was sitting beside her looking solemn. “At the very least if you did some damage maybe the Ba Sing Se forces would have a chance.” He looked at her with a frown. “There is a great honor is dying for your people Azula. I want you to live and survive and continue our family’s legacy, but…if you have to die, at least it would be with honor.”

Azula nodded determined then looked back to Aang and Jett. “I am willing to die to at least do as much damage as possible. If we can cripple them enough Ba Sing Se’s forces might prevail.”

Jett hummed. “You’re right.”

“I am willing to die for my people with honor,” Azula said.

Jett nodded. “Me too.”

Aang sighed deeply then nodded. “I mean technically I’m 116 so if it’s time for the Water Avatar to take over then…so be it.”

Azula glanced one more time at Zuko who was looking at her with pride as tears rolled down his cheeks. They latched onto Aang’s glider again then swiftly returned to the town where they reported everything to Sokka and the rest of the commanders.

“M-maybe I should run ahead to Ba Sing Se,” Chancellor Feng said looking absolutely terrified. “I can warn them.”

“You can’t get there on time unless you go through the mountains Chancellor,” Sokka said. “You are safer here.”

“But Commander…”

“Actually,” Commander Jeong said. “With Battalion 1 annihilated, Sokka automatically promotes to General. He is the one with the final say in everything.”

“So you’re staying here,” Sokka said firmly. “Send Hawky around the mountain low to the ground with a message explaining everything, that way Ba Sing Se could prepare.”

Feng nodded once and said, “yes General.”

“We will march dusk,” Sokka said turning to the rest of the battalion that was kneeling down around them. “We will arrive at the crack of dawn when they should all be asleep and sleeping off their hangovers.” He looked at them solemnly and added, “you should do as I will tonight. Go to your loved ones if they are here or send messenger hawks for them if they aren’t. Our goal tomorrow is to cause as much damage as possible, it is unlikely any of us will survive. It has been honor training you and serving with all of you and I am honored to die alongside you tomorrow. We march in three hours.”

…

Azula wanted to tell Ty Lee the whole truth before she left, but the non-bender couldn’t stop crying. How could she break her heart now and confess to her that she’d been lying to her the entire time? It was better for her to just think her beloved boyfriend died in battle than to know that her beloved boyfriend was a liar and STILL died in battle anyways.

So instead, Azula cuddled her close and kissed her as tenderly as she could.

“I can’t believe this is happening to me again,” Ty Lee said after about an hour of crying.

“Again?” Azula said softly.

“Remember that girl I told you about, my first crush who has the same eyes as you?” Ty Lee said softly. “She was my first love. Of course nothing ever happened with her. I was low class nobility, practically a peasant in comparison to the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation. My best friend Mai was dating her brother, the prince, she was much higher nobility so she was at their level, but anyways, she told me stories about Princess Azula and I was always just so entranced. Then when I was fourteen still running around with the circus I heard the news about the attacks. The Firelord and prince were dead and Mai…three arrows in the back trying to save the princess. And the princess? Well she was gone. Disappeared without a trace.”

Ty Lee sighed. “I thought about her everyday. I settled with the Kyoshi Warriors for a few months, then I went back to the circus, then doing odd jobs deep in small Fire Nation villages, then I lived in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se running a fruit stand, then I moved back to Kyoshi village and then I ended up helping out at the camps. So many jobs and lifestyle changes did nothing to get Azula out of my mind and heart. I was starting to think that I would never get over her ever and then I met you. I’ve only known you for a few months and you’ve taken my whole heart so entirely and now…and now I have to lose you.”

Azula caressed her cheek. “I’m…I’m sorry Ty Lee.”

“Don’t apologize to me, I’m the one being selfish,” Ty Lee said. “You are the one sacrificing yourself for our country and your honor and I’m just complaining about my own broken heart. You are a hero Lee. And now for the rest of my life all I’m ever going to think about everyday is you…AND Azula.”

“Both of us?” Azula said in surprise.

“You’ve taken my heart Lee, but Azula has a permanent place in there always,” Ty Lee said.

“That’s okay.” Azula said softly. “I’m okay with sharing.”

Ty Lee chuckled softly and kissed her lips. “I love you Lee.”

“I love you too Ty Lee,” Azula said tears sliding down her cheeks. “I love you too.”

…

In the greyish lightening up sky, the battalion marched. They moved swiftly and quietly as Aang and the waterbenders bended snow away to remove the crunch. They reached the top completely soundlessly to see the majority of the _daofei_ sleeping except for two men keeping guard. They were the first ones dead with two sharp icicles piercing through their throats before they could sound the alarm.

The battalion moved with perfect precision, slicing throats, stabbing hearts, burning faces off, crushing skulls with boulders, and piercing throats with icicles. They slaughtered hundreds of men before the rest of the _daofei_ rumbled to life and the war broke out in complete chaos.

The battalion was ready as the _daofei_ rushed them with loud war cries. They met them blade for blade and bender for bender. Azula was lost in a complete frey. She moved swiftly and calmly releasing the most powerful flames she could to keep them still red as well as using Zuko’s swords whenever necessary. She ignored the smell of burning flesh and blood and she slaughtered men like a machine. She ignored the grunts and cries of pain and agony and she tried not to look at her own comrades falling beside her, staining the snow with blood.

The _daofei_ leader was watching from beyond the frey sitting on ostrich-horses with a small team of six others who looked just as fierce and intimidating. Azula knew right away that they were the strongest of them all and taking them down meant crippling them in an irreparable way.

“It’s the Avatar!”

She felt the whoosh of pure power and saw Aang levitate into the sky, his arrow tattoo and eyes glowing an eerie white and she knew it was exactly what she needed to reach the leaders. Ice, boulders, fire, and gusts of air erupted all around her. _Daofei_ soldiers screamed and flew into the air while others fell to the attacks of her comrades because they were distracted. Aang was plowing through hundreds of men but they were all zoning on him trying to take him down by sheer force of numbers so Azula knew she didn’t have a lot of time. Once Aang fell, the rest of them would follow shortly after.

She plowed through the _daofei_ not caring anymore about holding back. Blue flame burst through her fists sending dozens of men flying away engulfed in flames and screaming in agony. She kept pushing through but she couldn’t seem to get closer, there were too many men, it was like trying to swim to the edge of a endless ocean while being hit by massive waves.

She felt the piercing pain of a blade entering her side and she cried out in agony and fell. She saw the attacker winding back to stab her her when someone jumped in front of her. She recognized him as Jett only after the attacker was on the ground sliced in half and Jett had the blade meant for her sticking out of his chest.

“No,” she breathed as Jett fell to the ground beside her. Tears spilled from her eyes as she tried to stop the bleeding in vain. “Jett! No!”

Jett pushed her away weakly. “Get out of here Lee! You hesitate you die! G-go!”

Azula wanted to leave but she couldn’t leave him there. She looked up to the skies praying for a miracle. It was when she looked up that she saw Zuko standing at the top of the cliff that they had been on yesterday when they were doing recon. The unstable cliff they had been on.

She looked down at Jett to tell him her idea but saw that his eyes were fixed and still. She let out a soft sob and closed his eyes. Another blade sliced her arm making her cry out and back away. She kicked out a large blue flame at her attacker’s face making him screech in agony and fall away. She scrambled to her feet and ran to Sokka who was trying to help Aang up. The Avatar state had ended and Aang was severely wounded but still alive.

“I couldn’t die in the Avatar state,” Aang said weakly leaning heavily on Sokka. “The Avatar cycle must continue.”

“General sound the retreat I have an idea,” Azula said.

Sokka looked surprised. “R-retreat? But we are the last line of defense.”

“My plan will kill them all!” Azula cried. “Please General. Sound the retreat.”

Sokka gave her a nod then blew on a small horn that was around his neck. “RETREAT!”

The reaction was instantaneous. The remaining battalion members, battered and wounded ran as fast as they could back down the hill. The _daofei_ had no intention of leaving any survivors and immediately gave chase but Azula stepped forward. With a big breath she released a large wall of blue flame from both her hands and her mouth. The _daofei_ pursuers scampered away screaming in terror. Azula glanced over her shoulder at her comrades who had reached the bottom and were looking at her with wide eyes.

A flame burst through her blue wall and the _daofei_ leader broke through firebending a shield for himself and his ostrich-horse. Azula had no time to defend herself as he created a long fire sword and plunged it into her stomach.

Azula cried out and fell to her knees as the leader gave her a sadistic smirk. She could hear her comrades calling her name so she found the strength to raise two fingers in the air and point it right at the unstable cliff. With all her remaining strength she released a powerful bolt of lightning that hit the cliff with a resonating boom.

The avalanche was instantaneous. The snow crumbled down shaking the entire mountain and the leader pulled out his fire sword from Azula to look towards the noise. The _daofei_ waterbenders tried to bend the snow away but they were swallowed up instantly and the rest had no choice but to run. The leader looked at Azula with a snarl and jumped off his ostrich-horse raising his fire sword. “If I die, you die with me!”

A large boulder smashed into the side of his head sending him tumbling into the snow. Azula turned and saw Haru at the bottom of the mountain in an earthbending stance. Before she could register anything else strong arms yanked her off the ground and onto the leader’s abandoned ostrich-horse. Someone was behind her holding her steady as the ostrich-horse raced against the snow.

She glanced back at Sokka who looked determined and fierce. “G-general?”

“Just hang on Lee!” Sokka said making the ostrich-horse run faster. The battalion waterbenders and Aang were pushing as much snow away as possible as Haru and the rest of the earthbenders set up a protective wall that would push the rest of the snow over the cliff.

They were trying to outrun the snow but there was no way they were going to make it. Azula knew it and so did Sokka.

“Jump!” he cried gripping Azula hips and helping her jump as high as she could over the earthbent wall. Azula landed with grunt on the other side but Sokka went too far and falling over the edge of the cliff.

“No!” Azula cried lunging head first over the cliff and gripping Sokka’s hand. She had no traction and her body was in extreme pain so she was slipping right off but she refused to let Sokka plunge to his death even though he kept insisting she do so.

A strong hand gripped one of Azula’s ankles, then another and another. Before she knew it at least twenty men were hanging onto her and pulling Azula and Sokka to safety. It was only after the rest of the avalanche blasted over their wall that Azula finally relaxed and everything started spinning.

She lost so much blood already and she just wanted to sleep so she crumbled down into the snow and her eyes fluttered shut. The last thing she saw was Zuko right beside her smiling and saying, “you did good Azula. You did good.”

…

Zuko stayed in the medical tent the entire time. Outside the tent she could hear the desperate cries of Ty Lee begging to be let in and also the grief of the other women and soldiers who were mourning for the lost men. It was so agonizing and so sad but he tried to just focus on Azula. Katara had been bending the glowing water over her body for nearly four hours now and Azula was showing no signs of waking up.

Katara knew immediately that Azula was actually a woman when she stripped her clothes to see the wounds and dress them and Zuko was surprised to see her hide her body away with thick blankets when Feng and Sokka popped in to check on her. He had been mortified when they brought her in here. He feared so terribly that all of Azula’s hard work and sacrifice would be completely ignored just because they discovered she was a woman. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all and he was very glad this Katara healer was making an effort to protect that.

Feng came in once more looking determined and angry. “Healer Katara, I brought a medical doctor from the village. The villagers fled when the attacks started but after I sent word of our victory they returned.” Another man entered the room in a doctor lab coat and a large medical bag.

“That won’t be necessary,” Katara said quickly. “I have healed her internal wounds. She will be waking up soon.”

“Either way I want her checked by a man,” Feng said with a sneer. “You women can’t be trusted with a job so important.”

Zuko clenched his fists and Katara looked at him with anger. “Like I said, Lee is recovering and this won’t be necessary.”

“This is not a request healer Katara!” Feng snapped. “This young… _man_ firebended blue flame and lightning bended an entire cliff off! I only know of two people in the entire world who could do that and I always had my suspicions.”

Katara looked at Azula sadly then slowly stepped away. She dropped her head and defeat and didn’t look Azula in the eyes when they fluttered open slowly and she groaned painfully.

The doctor ripped the covers off her exposing her completely. She was totally naked except for underwear and bandages, there was no hiding it. “I KNEW IT!” Feng screeched. “I knew you looked familiar! It always bugged me! But now I know the truth you TRAITOR!”

Feng rushed out of the tent and returned moments later dragging in Sokka who gasped the moment he saw Azula.

“You see I was right!” Feng cried.

Sokka looked distressed as he turned on his heel and left the tent. Feng rushed past the doctor and Katara and yanked Azula up to her feet ignoring her whimper of pain. “What are you doing she’s still very delicate!” Katara cried.

“I don’t care for the comfort of traitors,” Feng cried dragging her out of the tent and tossing her onto the ground right in front of the entire battalion and women. Sokka was turned away unable to look at them. Zuko sat down beside Azula on the ground and gave her a sad look of support as tears spilled down her cheeks.

“Now we know the truth!” Feng announced as Katara rushed out of the tent. “The one known as Lee was actually the biggest traitor this country has ever seen. She is a _woman!_ And not just _any_ woman, but the notorious war criminal that we have been searching for, for the past four years: the Crown Princess Azula of the Fire Nation.”

The gasps resonated throughout the village and Azula dared a glance up at Ty Lee who looked so shocked and so hurt.

“The rules are clear about this matter General,” Feng said walking to Sokka’s side. “The penalty for women infiltrating the army is death, and her being a notorious war criminal even more!”

Feng pushed Sokka towards her and said, “Proceed General.”

“Don’t do it Sokka!” Katara cried tears sliding down her cheeks. “You don’t believe in that damn rule! She might be a woman but she’s the reason the _daofei_ are dead! She saved you all!”

“Silence woman!” Feng yelled. “Your opinions don’t matter! General, it is the law!”

Sokka pulled out his sword with a loud zing. Aang let out a distressed cry and fought against Haru who held him back while Ty Lee let out a sob and buried her face in Suki’s chest unable to watch.

Azula dropped her head to the snow ready to accept her punishment and Zuko stayed right there beside her.

“You did your best Azula,” he said softly. “Maybe our honor may never be recognized but in my eyes and in my heart, you are the most honorable of us all. I am proud of you little sister.”

Azula let out soft cry and whispered. “I’ll be with you soon brother.”

She heard a thump and looked up to see Sokka’s sword on the snow in front of her. He looked at her sadly and said, “you saved my life so I’ll spare yours.”

“What!?” Feng screeched. “But General the law…”

“I made my decision Feng!” Sokka snapped. “Crown Princess Azula, you are hereby banished. Honor will never come to you or your name.” He turned back to the battalion and said, “we march to Ba Sing Se immediately. Move out.”

Everyone obeyed without hesitation. Azula looked up again and saw the looks of sympathy from Katara, Aang, Haru, and Suki. Ty Lee was crying and wouldn’t even look at her as she walked away with the rest of the battalion. As the last of them passed her, Toph paused beside her and said, “for what it’s worth, I think you’re a badass.”

Then she left and followed the rest of them away.

…

Azula sat on the edge of the mountain that was once unstable looking down on the mass grave that she had caused with the avalanche. Over 100 thousand men dead in an instant, including her own comrades who were too wounded and unable to run away that could have survived with medical treatment. She sacrificed them without a second thought and all for nothing.

What would she tell Uncle Iroh now? Azula sighed. That old softie would be proud of her anyways. He wouldn’t care that their family name was soiled even worse only that Azula was back and alive. They would have to go live on a private island since she was banished now but she knew he would do it without hesitation. She was a disappointment and she didn’t deserve his love.

“I guess Roku was wrong about me,” Zuko said sighing deeply. “He said I could do this. He said I could guide you and I failed. I let him down. I let you down. I let our family down. And now I’ll never be with Mai again.”

Azula looked at him. “Mai?”

“She’s waiting for me in a paradise meant for honored souls,” Zuko said. “Now I can never go there.”

Azula burst into tears. “Oh Zuko I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t apologize Azula,” Zuko said shaking his head. “You are a hero.”

“If I would have died in the attack I would have been a hero,” Azula said. “Because they would have gone on thinking I was a man. It’s my fault they even passed that damn law anyways.”

“It isn’t your fault that they fear what they can’t understand,” Zuko said. “It isn’t your fault that they feel threatened by women when women should be their allies! I mean look at Mai. She was amazing.”

“She was,” Azula said sighing. “I wish she was here now. She always knew how to comfort me.”

Zuko chuckled softly. “She would say, ‘Azula, suck it up and get over it,’”

“I know but it was the tone she used that made it comforting,” Azula said. “Like she meant what she said that I needed to suck it up but the way she said it let me know that she would be there by my side every step of the way.”

A crashing noise caught their attention and they looked towards the mass grave to see an arm bursting through. Then another and then another. Azula watched in terror as seven _daofei_ men erupted from the ground. She recognized them at once as the leader and his elite crew. She watched hidden from above as the seven of them searched the grave for any more survivors but found none. Without even speaking, the seven _daofei_ leaders marched along the trail towards Ba Sing Se.

“There’s only seven but they’re strong and won’t be expected at all!” Azula cried to Zuko. “I have to go warn them!”

“But Azula you’re banished!”

“I don’t care Zuko! Let them execute me! I won’t let these _daofei_ slaughter everyone and take Ba Sing Se!” Azula cried. “Honor or not. This is about saving our people.”

…

Ba Sing Se was in absolute chaos. The celebration of their victory was so massive it completely filled the lower, middle, and upper rings. The trains were jam packed and Azula had to basically ride on top of it to reach the upper ring where she saw the battalion sitting on the massive stage with Sokka and the rest of the commanders standing in front of them beside the President and the entire council.

This would be a slaughter! Those unexpected _daofei_ survivors will kill all the world leaders at once and take control. Azula ran to the stage without hesitation and without caring about anything.

“General Sokka!” Azula cried. “General Sokka there are _daofei_ survivors! Seven of them heading here now!”

“What are you doing here wretched woman!” Feng cried. “You are banished! Take this woman to dungeons for execution!”

“I don’t care what you do to me!” Azula cried as the guards grabbed her. “You have to believe me! The _daofei_ are coming here now! They will slaughter everyone!”

“And why should we believe you?” Feng snapped. “You lied about everything else.”

“You would believe her if she was still Lee!” Aang interjected stepping forward. “Why is it different now? Because she’s a girl? This law isn’t right. There were Avatars who were women and there will be more Avatars after me who will be women too. Will you execute them for fighting and keeping YOU safe?”

Sokka looked at Aang with a sharp look. “She has lied before though. This isn’t because she’s a woman, it’s because she’s a liar.”

“You have to believe me please!” Azula cried.

“Take her away!” Feng cried.

The guards dragged her away and Zuko sighed deeply. Damn it. What could he do to make them see? He saw Sokka turned to Aang and say, “take a team and search for those _daofei_ they have to be in disguise.”

Aang gave him a smile then nodded and gathered Haru and several others. Zuko smiled. Yes! They believed her even if they didn’t admit it to her face. He rushed to follow the guards taking Azula so he could tell her. At least if she knew they were searching she would be more calm in her cell.

He was almost about the reach her and the guards when a boulder came out of nowhere and knocked one of the guards out then and stream of water took out the other. Zuko barely had time to see Toph and Katara emerge in bending stances before two more guards rushed in. They didn’t get far before Suki came out of nowhere with a kick that knocked one guard out immediately and the other was hit by three quick jabs then he fell bonelessly to the ground at Ty Lee’s feet.

“If they don’t wanna believe you, we do,” Katara said.

Azula looked at them stunned.

“We’re tired of being treated like second-class citizens when we are just as powerful or more so than them,” Suki said. “You are the living proof of that.”

“Now let’s go find that _daofei_ scum,” Toph said. “Let’s show those men that women could do more that cook, clean, heal, and take care of their fucking children!”

Azula smiled at them and nodded. “Let’s go.” She turned and stopped in her tracks when she saw Ty Lee.

She opened her mouth to say something but Ty Lee turned away from her and said, “we don’t have time for that now Le—I mean, Princess Azula. We have _daofei_ to find.”

The women ran together in a small squad and Zuko grinned widely. “Sokka sent Aang and a team to search as well. I’ll help the search too, by teleporting. Be on the look out!”

Azula gave him a short nod and kept moving forward. The search was absolute chaos. There were hundreds of thousands of people crowding every single corner. The girls could barely move, much less look at the faces of the people to try to recognize _daofei_ warriors that only Azula has actually seen.

“They’re underneath the stage!” Zuko cried appearing suddenly beside her.

Azula gasped. “Underneath the stage! They’re underneath the stage!”

“What? How do you know?” Katara cried.

“I just do!”

Toph slammed her foot down on the ground then grunted. “She’s right. Seven. Right beneath the stage.”

“We gotta hurry!” Azula cried.

They started shoving through the ground violently racing towards the stage just as the earthquake hit. Jagged pieces of earth emerged from the ground and trapped every single person on it in its grasp. The seven men popped out right through the ground in burst of fire and the leader went straight for the president with his fire sword drawn.

“No!” Azula burst of the ground with a jet of blue fire emerging from her feet and she sent out a bolt of lightning from her fingertips. The lightning slammed the _daofei_ leader right in the chest and burst through his back.

Katara and Toph were right behind her with a wave of water and earth attacking the other men as they went straight to Sokka and the other commanders. A sword came flying at Sokka’s head but it was caught right before its target by a gold fan. Another fan came into view then Suki’s slithered in twisting the fans and taking the sword from the attacker. She sliced right back with his own sword killing him then moved on to the next attacker.

One of the _daofei_ was standing at the corner of the stage making it rain boulders on everyone when Ty Lee jumped up from the crowd and delivered four swift punches that took his bending. Once he fell to his knees she delivered a kick upwards from the bottom of her nose killing him instantly. Blue fire intermixed with boulders and water protecting the hostages on the stage as Ty Lee and Suki moved efficiently slicing and delivering swift fatal attacks.

Then it was over. The seven _daofei_ were dead and bleeding out and with a single stomp of Toph’s foot all the hostages were released from their earth bonds.

“What is the treachery!” Feng cried. “These _women_ including the traitor saving us men? Do you really think it will change anything?”

“Actually it will.” Aang landed on the stage with his glider. “The men Sokka sent out saw the whole thing and we chose not to interfere because we _knew_ these women could handle it. Your fear of a powerful woman has blinded you to seeing what an asset they truly are. Thousands of men died in this war against the _daofei_ and it was a handful of women, especially that ‘traitor’ as you say that saved us all!” He turned to the president and said, “Mr. President, I know as the Avatar I cannot dictate which laws you should pass but I humbly ask that you reconsider reversing that law. The one you feared, Azula, has proven herself again and again that she fights for this country not her father’s misguided ideals. She fought for US even though her honor was ripped from her and she knew she would likely be killed for it. She saved your life just now!” Aang turned to the rest of the crowd who was deadly silent.

“All of you who support this law, I see you at Yangchen’s festival in Yu Dao. How can you honor her but deny all the strong and powerful women that are alive in your timeline? How can you worship statues of Kyoshi and praise her for her accomplishment if you believe that people like her belong in a kitchen? Even you Chancellor Feng,” Aang turned to him. “The only reason you even have this title is because you were the highest ranking general of the Dai Li, an organization that was created by Avatar Kyoshi!”

Aang looked back to the President. “Please Mr. President…”

“Avatar Aang, it’s okay,” Azula said.

Aang looked at her in surprise.

Azula smiled at him. “You said you wanted to be called Aang until you were fully realized Avatar. Well, now you are.” Azula turned to the president and bowed before him. “I have fought for my country and for my honor Mr. President. Now I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions no matter what they may be.”

The President was standing there looking stunned the whole time but when Azula bowed down to him in this manner he immediately reached down and made her stand up. “You don’t bow to me. I should be the one bowing to you. You saved my life. You save this entire country! You are the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation and you deserve to be here on the council with the rest of the world leaders! You not only have my upmost gratitude but I bestow upon you and your name the greatest of all honors! The law against women participating in everything that men do is hereby reversed!”

The cheers were deafening and it wasn’t just the women cheering. Hundreds of men in the audience as well the entire battalion and Sokka were cheering and clapping happily. “Thank you Princess Azula,” the president said extending his hand to her. “I hope you will take your rightful place on my council. This world needs more heroes like you.”

“Thank you Mr. President,” Azula was trying not to cry. “I will join but I need to go home to my Uncle first. He needs care and family comes first.”

The president smiled. “Of course.”

The festivities continued as if there hadn’t been a bloody battle where the bodies were still on stage just moments before and Azula found herself in testosterone pool once more as Aang, Haru, and Sokka pulled her into massive group hug with the rest of the battalion. Feng stormed off angrily but Azula didn’t care. She did it she finally did it.

She had barely been released when she saw Zuko standing at the edge of the stage smiling. He wasn’t the nasty green color anymore, now he was a brilliant bright blue. “Zuko,” she said softly.

“You did it Azula,” Zuko said smiling. “I am proud of you beyond words. You’ve brought honor to us all.”

“Zuko.”

Azula gasped when Mai appeared beside him also shining a bright blue. “M-Mai?”

“Hi Azula,” she said smiling. “Thank you for bringing him to me.” She grabbed Zuko’s hand and said, “Come on my darling, paradise awaits.”

Zuko smiled and nodded.

“Wait!” Azula cried. “I’ll never see you again?”

Zuko smiled and shook his head. “Of course you will Azula. Whenever you need me I will be there, always. And when it’s your time to come to paradise, I will be waiting for you.”

Azula’s tears flowed freely. “I…I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll always be there my sister,” he said as he started fading away. “Be happy. Be free.”

“I love you!” Azula cried as he disappeared completely.

“Who are you talking to?”

Azula jumped and looked at Ty Lee who was standing there beside her. “T-Ty Lee.”

“You shouldn’t be crying anymore you know,” she said softly. “You save everyone, and you changed our lives for the better. You should be happy.”

“I didn’t do all this so I could be happy Ty Lee,” Azula said softly. “I was fully expecting to die.”

Ty Lee grabbed Azula by the wrist and pulled her off the chaotic stage and inside of the town that was completely solitary. “I’m angry with you, you know.”

“As you should,” Azula said. “There isn’t enough I could do in this life time to beg for your forgiveness. I never meant to hurt you but I truly meant everything I said. I do love you. I love you so much.”

“Do you know how confusing this is for me?” Ty Lee said. “That Azula I loved for so long was a nothing more than a memory and then Lee was this handsome gentleman who was showed me passion I never thought was possible. And I love them both but they’re both YOU! And how am I supposed to feel about all this? Who are you really? Are you the intelligent princess or the passionate soldier? Who am I supposed to love now?”

Azula grabbed her hands. “I am both Ty Lee. I am an intelligent princess but I am also a passionate soldier. I know it’s all so confusing and stuff but give me a chance to show you who I really am. No more hiding no more lies. The real me, Azula, former princess of the Fire Nation, master firebender, soldier in the Unified Nations Army. Are you willing to give me that chance?”

“Of course I am,” Ty Lee breathed kissing her lips. “Didn’t you hear me before? I love you BOTH!”

Azula chuckled softly and said, “does your offer still stand of me visiting you in Kyoshi village?”

Ty Lee grinned and nodded. “But not until after we go to my hotel room for the night.”

Azula laughed. “Is it makeup sex or war victory sex?”

Ty Lee grinned and guided her down the hall, “both.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Now GO watch the new Mulan! It is EXCELLENT! It's a more serious film, more adult, but it is really so great! It's excellent representation for both Asians and women!


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